One of the most helpful things you can bring to your consultation with us—besides your story—is any surgical photos from previous laparoscopies. Patients often ask why these images are so important. After all, the surgeon probably wrote a detailed operative report, right? Unfortunately, written operative notes can be incomplete, inconsistent, or surprisingly vague. Even the most thoughtful and well-written reports can’t fully capture what was seen in the moment. It’s the difference between reading a description of a painting and standing in front of the canvas yourself.

At Pacific Endometriosis and Pelvic Surgery, we use surgical photos to gain direct visual information about your anatomy and the extent of disease—details that simply can’t be matched by words alone. For example, photos can show exactly where endometriosis lesions were seen on the peritoneum or how extensively the pelvis appeared “obliterated,” both of which can provide important information when assessing disease. Sometimes, brownish areas that may initially appear to be endometriosis are actually hemosiderin, a marker of old bleeding from a ruptured endometrioma. These findings can sound similar when described in an operative report but look quite different in photos. Having the images gives us the opportunity to interpret these findings in their original visual context.

Reviewing photos also helps us understand how thoroughly the pelvis was examined during your prior surgery. For instance, we can see whether the bowel and ovaries were moved aside to clearly visualize the posterior cul-de-sac, a common location for deep endometriosis. Because disease can be hidden behind or beneath other pelvic structures, the ability to see exactly what was visualized during surgery can provide valuable context. If you’ve been told that no endometriosis was found during surgery but your symptoms persist, surgical photos may reveal subtle or non-classic findings that are worth taking a closer look at.

Even when no obvious lesions are seen, surgical images can give us clues or show anatomical distortion that may not have been described in the operative report. In the case of a prior negative laparoscopy, the quality and extent of the images can help us better understand how thoroughly the pelvis was inspected and what areas were visualized. These insights can help us counsel you about whether another surgery is recommended and, if so, what we may encounter.

So if you’ve had a prior laparoscopy—even years ago—we encourage you to dig out those surgical photos if you think you may have stashed them away somewhere. Even if all you have is a snapshot on your smartphone, that is better than having no images at all. At Pacific Endometriosis and Pelvic Surgery, we’ll be eager to review them with you so that we can build the clearest possible picture of your situation and help guide you through the next steps.